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MarinaVanessa 10:32 AM 05-01-2012
Okay so this is pretty long but I worked as a Hiring Manager for a bit and here’s what I looked for during an interview.

Know something about the company that you’re applying to: During an interview people are often asked what they know about the company and why you are interested in working for them. It’s really important that you do at least a little bit of research before your interview so that you can answer these questions. Knowing a lot about a company will make you stand out in a good way and will give you an advantage. You can do your research online or talk to an employee and ask them what they enjoy about working there. Know what their mission is and what they specialize in. When they ask you why you want to work there use that information to answer the question.
“I know that the work environment is very positive and that your employees feel supported when any issues arise. I like that and I think that I will strive here and I have a lot to contribute to that.” Etc. Also make sure that you know what your specific responsibilities will be. Most companies have a list of responsibilities listed by positions so you may want to ask for a copy of this (in person) before your interview.

Arrive prepared or even overly-prepared: Know who you will be interviewing with so that you can greet that person by name and give her/him a firm handshake while making eye contact and smiling. Call the person by their name during the interview (people subconsciously love hearing the sound of their own name). Also bring an extra copy of your resume and a list of your references. If you have actual quotes on your reference list of copies of thank you notes and reference letters from people that you’ve worked for in the past this is even better. When I applied for a job at a center I brought a binder that I had made with photos and short captions of all of the activities that I had done with the kids and families that I had worked for (I have worked as a babysitter, a nanny and in FCC) and showed it to her during my interview, she seemed really impressed and liked it. I did get the job and later she told me that the binder/scrapbook really made her remember me, you can do something like this with 12 pages or so. Also keep your posture in mind. Don't slouch or cross your arms. Look like you are confident and comfortable even you are not.

Punctuality: Be on time or be early. Something that I was especially impressed by was people that arrived 10-15 minutes early to an interview. It shows initiative and that you really want the job. Arriving on time is okay but think of how many others will arrive on time or even early … you want to stand out in a positive way. NEVER show up late to an interview even if it’s just a few minutes. This is a red flag and could make the person hiring wonder if this will be a common habit for you. A good thing to remember is that the person interviewing you will more than likely want to start the interview on time which means you should make an attempt to at least show up a minimum of 5 minutes early. Have you ever gone to an interview and you’ve had to wait a little bit of time past your scheduled time? Usually this is because a previous interviewee arrived a little bit late.

Stay positive, calm and smile: Answer all questions in a positive way. Even if they ask you a question such as “What are some of your areas of improvement?” answer them in a way that is honest but flattering “I tend to be soft-hearted when it comes to kids. It’s something that I am working on but I sometimes find it hard to be stern with them”. Relax and stay calm. Keeping a smile on your face can help you do this otherwise you may stumble over your words if you get nervous.

You may even want to practice with a close friend or relative that works in a professional atmosphere so that they can “test” your interview skills. Sometimes someone else may be able to point out some bad interview habits for you to correct before your interview.
Be polite always and avoid words like “um”, “uhh”, “like” (it was so, like hard” etc. If you don’t understand something ask for clarification in a polite way “I’m sorry, can you repeat the question?”
At the end of the interview thank her for her time and tell her that you really hope to hear from her again soon. Ask her when you can expect to hear from her. Wait a day or two and hand-write a thank you note. It doesn’t have to be in depth; just a few short sentences “[full name], I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to interview me. I am very excited for the opportunity to work for [name of center] as I have heard nothing but great things about your company. I am anxious to hear from you soon with positive news. Thanks again. [your name]”

It's obvious to me that there are no problems with the information that you fill out on the application because you are getting appointments for interviews. This is good and means that "on paper" people see you as a potential candidate.

If you do not get a positive response from interviews and don't get a call back or don't get hired then maybe it's time to start running through the interview questions and the answers that you are giving. When you go to your interview do you feel comfortable in recording it? You can use your cell-phone by using the recording device and just turn it on before you go into the interview. This way you can go back home and listen to it to see if there are any areas or specific questions that you can improve. If you're up for it you can even transcribe your interview and post it so that others here can give you suggestions. Just a thought.
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